Method of securing rail-bonds to rails.



J. E. SLIMP! METHOD OF SECURING RAIL BONDS T0 RAILS.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

APPLICATIO" FILED APR. 28,19,17-

i i i .q w Q M WW NM. w \w T N sw n W H l 1 m 1 NW N\ c Q L Am Q M N 1 i L. 4 ,HI/MIP i i am m; NW w Jennie n. SLIMP, or new YORK, n; r.

METHQD F SECURING RAIL-BONDS T0 RAILS;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 872,522, filed Novembenl'Y, 1914. This application filed April 28, 1917. Serial No. 165,095.

To all whom i2? may concern:

-Be it known that I, JAMES E. SLIMP, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New ,York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Methods of Securing Rail-Bonds to Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

" My invention relates to electric conductors and a method of producing the same and is more especially applicable to electric rail' bonds and methods of attaching the same "to the rails. i

The invention more particularly relates to improvements in rail bonds of the plug terminal type, which embraces all bonds having a portion or all of their contact efiected by-means of a plug which passes through the web or foot of the rail, which plug is'compressed or expanded into intimate contact with the walls of a hole in the Web or foot of the rail through which' the plug projects.

In all such plugs or terminals of the prior art of which I am aware, there is of course a v distinct line of Surface contact between the rail and bond. This structure causes a contact resistance which is undesirable, due to the fact that it causes a loss of current and consequent loss of power.

Furthermore, after such bonds have been in service for some time the resistance rapidly increases due to the aforesaid imperfeet mechanical. and electrical contact. The increase of resistance isdue to many causes some of which are the following:

'1. The flowing of the copper in the terminal, due to the constant hammering'of the car wheels on the joints, thus loosening the terminals in the hole.

' 2. The corrosion of tion.

3. The rusting of the metal of the rail surrounding the hole.

4. The electrolytic action due to the contact of the two dissimilar metals.

One of the objects of my invention is to overcome these structural defects and to thereby eliminate the losses.

Another object of my invention is to produce a rail-bond connection, by effecting a molecular union or alloy connection between the metals of the bonds and the rails.

To theseends andto eliminate allchances of deterioration, I propose in the carrying the terminal connecpressed terminal plug out of my invention to eliminate the contact oints, by forming an alloy connection between the copper of the plugs or terminalsof the bonds with the steel of the rails. By this I mean that a molecular union of the two metals is effected, so that the molecules union at the surface may be described as be- 1ngall steel, steel-copper alloy, copper steel-copper alloy and steel.

This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 872,522, filed November 17, 1914.

Referring to, the drawings forming part of the specification;

Figure 1, is a side elevation of one forniof electric bond and rail connection.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1, the r ght terminal being-completely welded or 01ned by my process to the web of the M11 and the left terminal being shown in the course of being welded or joined to the web of the rail. A conventional 0Xy-acetylene or oxy-hy drogen burner is also shown in operatlve position.

Fig. 3 is a section of an ordinary combefore it is integrally welded.

Fig. 4 is a section of an ordinar plug terminal bond simply inserted in'a hole in the rail web.

Fig. 5 is'a similar view of a plug terminal bond made integral with the rail by means of my process with or without previous compresslon orexpansion of the plug.

Patented na so, rats.

of the metal through 'a line-crossing the F ig. 6, isa side elevation of another form of electric bond and rail connection, partly in section, with a portion of a fish plate broken away.

Fig. 7, is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, all the parts here shown in place.

Fig. 8, is a detail section of such a plug and rail connection before the alloy ormolecvnate" similar parts.

10 represents the rails, 11 the webs therethe rails and fish plates together in the usual way by nuts 14 on threaded shanks 15. 20 and 20 respectively represent the plugs or vof, 12 the fish plates, 13 the bolts to secure lit) the copoer plugs pass.

.9 is a steel pin or plug of conical shape the bonds, 21 and 21' respectively represent the wire bond integrally connecting the plugs together and 22 and represent the rivet Side or head of the copper plug. 30 and 30 holes in the web of the rails through which 40 in Figs. 7, 8 and driven in the hollow center of the rail bond plug to effect a tight mechanical contact be.- tween the sides of the plug and the walls of the holes in the web of the steel rails.

A is the oxy-acetylene or oxy-hydrogen burner and F is the flame therefrom. Holes are bored in the webs of the rails of'suflicient size to receive with a tight fit the plug terminals of thebonds. In'the construction of solid plugs I cause they plugs to be expanded into the holes by compressing the plugs in the fas ion of rivet heads as shown in Fig. 3, and in the construction showing hollow plugs I expand the sides of the plugs out against the walls of the holes by drlving a steel pin through .the holes of Sllfi'lClBIlt size to expand the plug out against the'walls of the holes, and then conical shaped steel pins are driven into the hollow copper plugs, the steel pins being of suflicient diameter to force the copper of the plugs or terminals tightly against the walls of the holes in the webs of the rails. The are then permittedto stay in positions.

The contact connections throughout a portion of their'extent are then broken down by alloying the copper of the plugs to the steel of-therails by means of a hot flame such as the oxy-acetylene, oxy-hydrogen or electric arc flames F. In forming the alloy their inserted connection,'the copper and steel are melted one into the other,

thus forming the molecular union between the two metals.

In practice it face of the rail, being of metal having a comparatively high fusing point, should be heated first and the end of a rod of wire or copper or similar metal should then be kept on the rail at the point where the flame or are is applied. The flame is then moved from point to point on the surface of the rail adjacent to the exposed end of the bond terminal, which is of metal of comparatively low fusing point. This process gives a steel copper alloy on the surface of the rail. Then the copper or low fusing metal of the exposed part of the terminal is melted down and readily unites with the higher fusing metal of the rail; thereby forming a molecular union at the surface.

This operation is efiiectedpn the riveted side of the bonds; that is onthe opposite side of the'bond to that where the body portion of the bonds" is located. This eliminates the danger of burning or crystallizing the strands. of the bodyportion-of the bond.

ous attempts 22 respectively respectively are the steel-copper alloy, copper, and steel.

conical steel plugs has been found that the sur- I This precaution is essential for in all previto apply bonds by heat, such as the soldered or brazing method, it has been done at the sacrifice of the strength and life of the free or body portion of'the bond.

that it is as applicable, to bonds that have been in service for years, no matter how badly deterioratedthe joints may be as it is to the new and unused bonds. Ars-a result '70 An important feature of my process is,-

of my process the used bond will readily be made more efficient than it was when first installed by the prior methods. Incarrying out myprocess it is not necessary to sandblast or otherwise clean the rails or copper terminals since the hot flame very rapidly;

reduces the iron .or copper oxids to metal and efl'ectuallyfuses the copper terminal to the web or foot portion of the steel rail making an integral connection by alloying the two metals together, thus perfect molecular union between the two at the exposed surfaces thereof.

The moleformmg a] cules may be said to be arranged as followsalong'a line y-y of Figs. 2, 7 and 9, as steel,

If it should appear that to steel-copper alloy v the I extended end 1 f of the copper terminal has insufiicient metal in it to properly and effectually fuse the bond to the rail so that the point of union has insuflicient area to properly carry the current without loss, then I haye found, it

expedient and desirable. to addmetals by means of a small rod, plate or strip of copper or other similar-metal held in the hot flame at the point it is desired to build up the terminal. This will puddle or meltv the rod into the terminal to form anintegral part thereof. Either copper, bronze or brass rodsmay be used for the purpose.

' By my method. it is possible to bond two rails of any weight to full capacity. This has been impracticable heretofore due to the difficulty of obtaining and maintaining sufficient contact area between the rails and connecting bonds. The shape of the cooperating parts may be-changed, and similar metals may be used to take the place of the copper and. steel.

- aving now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of which consists in. providing a close metallic forming a rail bond connectionor joint between a rail'and a bond terminal extendingthrough a hole provided in the rail, heatingthe metal of the rail ad-- jacent the free end of the terminal to its fusing point, heating the'free end of the terminal to its fusing point, and puddling the metals of the tail and of the free end of the terminal together to thereby break down the abutting connection or joint between the heated parts and. form an alloy cunnev tion between the rail and the free end of the terminal.

2. The method of bonding rails which consists in first forming close mechanical abutting connections between the rails and the bond terminals, then heating the exposed metal of higher fusing point adjacent to the terminal to its point of fusion, then heating theexposed metal of lower-fusing point adjacent to the rail to its point of 7 fusion puddling the metals together to break down the abuttingconn'ections at the surface to form an alloy connection between the metals.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 1 my hand at the borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, this 11th day of April, 1917.

JAMES E, SLIMP. In presence of ISABEL R. RICHARDS, 'ZITA M. GRAHAM. 

